When the Lights Go Out
by Enigmatic Tathren
Summary: Response to 9/14/09 Raw. They never could have foreseen what one underhand trick in a match would lead to weeks down the road. Now Shawn's life is turned upside down and Hunter's there to try to pull him through it.


**Disclaimer: Do not own.**

**A/N: Oh c'mon, after all the comments they were making about HBK's eyes on the 9/14 episode of Raw, you're telling me you didn't immediately think of this? ;)**

Hunter picks up on Shawn's somber mood the moment they meet up in the arena but wisely says nothing. He knows from experience that trying to press the issue will only make matters worse, and that Shawn will only talk when he wants to. Still, as Shawn paces the room and their first appearance draws closer Hunter finds it harder to keep quiet.

"Hunter, I'm scared." The words are quiet, filled with equal parts of shame and terror. Hunter freezes and the room fills with a tense, awkward silence.

"Scared of what?" Even as Hunter asks the question he realizes that he too is scared. Shawn hates appearing weak and never gives any sign that something is wrong. Him coming out and admitting that he is scared terrifies Hunter.

"Nothing. It's nothing, really." And just like that the mask falls back into place. Hunter bites back a growl of frustration. "C'mon, we're going to be late," Shawn says as he pushes past his friend. He fumbles with the door handle for a moment, biting back a curse, and finally manages to open it and storm out of the room.

Hunter trails slightly behind him, watching Shawn carefully. Something seems off about him. His confident stride seems somehow diminished, as if Shawn's more cautious or hesitant for some reason. And yet, it's not just that. It's the awkward positioning of his arms, the way one hand is barely brushing the wall while the other hovers slightly out front. It's in his eyes that are open a tad too wide, and in the almost imperceptible flinch every time someone approaches.

Something is seriously wrong.

Despite this, Shawn pulls off the promo almost flawlessly. To the fans it will seem perfect, but Hunter catches the crew's subtle frowns. After years of filming the Heartbreak Kid they too pick up the differences, but have the sense not to say anything. Hunter has to bite his tongue on the way back to their locker room and silently repeats _Don't say anything_ to himself.

As soon as the door is closed Shawn turns to face his friend and says, "I need your help."

"With what?"

Shawn bites his lip, hesitating for a moment to weight the pros and cons of telling the truth, before saying, "I can't wrestle tonight."

"What do you mean you can't wrestle tonight?" Hunter doesn't understand what's going on. This isn't the Shawn he's used to and it feels he's getting in over his head.

"I- I can't tell you. I just can't wrestle."

"No." Hunter's response shocks them both but now he's getting pissed off with the way Shawn's been acting. "We have less than twenty minutes until our match and I'm not going to help you get out of it unless I know why. Damnit, what's going on, Shawn?"

"I think I'm going blind." He says it quickly, and quietly, and Hunter has to strain to hear the words, but when he realizes what Shawn said his blood runs cold. Before he can say anything, though, Shawn continues, as if he's decided that since he's said this much he might as well tell the whole story. "It started a few weeks ago when I fought DiBiase and he raked my eyes. I thought it would get better but it hasn't. I'm not even comfortable walking down the hall- can you imagine what I'd be like in the ring?"

Hunter puts a hand on his friend's shoulder but Shawn shrugs it off. "Okay," he finally says. "I'll call in a couple of favors, see if I can't pull some strings for tonight. We'll figure out what to do next later." Shawn nods grimly and Hunter digs his phone out of his bag. It only takes a few minutes for him to make the necessary arrangements.

"Okay, here's what's going to happen," he says. "When we go out for our match you're going to be slightly behind me. Some of the security will come out to block your path, at which point Cody and Ted will announce that the match is now a handicap match and that you're banned from ringside. You'll be escorted to the back and I'll fight them myself. It's a bit sloppy, but it'll work. Alright?"

"Yeah, whatever," Shawn says, trying to sound nonchalant but unable to keep the worry out of his voice.

"Shawn, we'll figure this out," Hunter tells his friend, moving to stand in front of him. "I promise, we'll figure something out."

XXXXX

In typical Shawn fashion he's refusing to leave the car. Hunter had set up an appointment with an eye doctor that Stephanie swears by, even managing to arrange it so few other people were there. Now Shawn doesn't want to go in, possibly afraid of what the verdict would be, and Hunter is quickly losing his patience. He's on the verge of threatening to call Rebecca when Shawn finally gets out of the car and heads inside.

Hunter paces outside the examinations room, close enough to provide Shawn with some comfort but far enough away to allow him some privacy (as well as ensure that he's out of sight of any fans that might come in). His phone rings; its Stephanie again. Today is one of the few days they could spend together and instead Hunter is avoiding her and her phone calls. He feels guilty, but swears to make it up to her eventually.

A sudden shout from inside the room interrupts his thoughts. Hunter steps forward to see what's going on and the door swings open to reveal a grim, and slightly stressed, doctor. "Ah, would you please come inside?" he asks, stepping aside to let Hunter pass.

Hunter glances at Shawn, head resting in his hands and the perfect picture of misery. His heart sinks, but asks, "So how're his eyes, doctor?"

"Not good," the doctor tells him. "Maybe when he first sustained the injury we might have been able to do something, but the damage is almost irreparable now. Perhaps, with surgery and glasses he will be able to regain some of his sight but Mr. Michaels will, unfortunately, suffer from partial blindness for the rest of his life. I can recommend several good surgeons-"

"What's the point?" Shawn interrupts. "I'll never really be able to see again! I'll never be able to wrestle again! I'll never be-" He cuts off and looks away, ashamed of what he's become.

They drive back to Greenwich in silence. It isn't until they're parked outside his home that Hunter speaks. "Stephanie's going to come out here wondering where I've been and I'd really prefer not to lie to her. She needs to find out at some point anyway, as well as Vince. And you need to call Rebecca too." Shawn opens his mouth to say something, but Hunter quickly answers the question he knows he's going to ask. "Yeah, I'll talk to Stephanie now."

Shawn grins weakly. "Thanks."

Hunter is just climbing out of the car when he hears a door slam and sees Stephanie coming out of the house. "Where have you been?" she asks. Her eyes flicker over to the car where Shawn is still sitting and frowns, as if silently asking, _You spent all day with him and not me?_

Hunter too looks over at Shawn and though he doesn't want to have to tell his wife this, he knows he has to. "Stephanie, there's something you need to know…"

XXXXX

Shawn hasn't said anything all night and Hunter isn't going to bother to try to get him to talk because he knows it would be futile. Tonight would be his last night on Raw. The eye surgery that Hunter had talked him into having was set for early the next day. All that is left is to say his goodbyes and walk away forever.

"Hey, Shawn, it's time," Hunter says gently. "You ready for this?"

Shawn shakes his head. "No, but I don't really have much choice, now do I?" He pushes past Hunter just as the DX music starts playing. "Let's just get this over with, okay?"

Shawn sticks close to Hunter as they make their way to the ring. He stumbles slightly as he climbs in but does his best to cover it up as they set off their pyros and he gets the mic. Hunter grabs it from him and shifts slightly so he's lined up with where his friend is standing, since Shawn can't tell when his positioning is off. When their opening spiel is over he places the mic in Shawn's hand and takes a step back. For better or worse, Shawn has to do this part alone.

"For the last two months, Degeneration X has come out here night after night to raise some hell, kick some ass, and have fun doing it!" The crowd cheers, but Shawn keeps talking, not trusting himself to stop. "Unfortunately, that's not why we're here tonight. As you may remember, several weeks ago I had a match against Ted DiBiase where, well…" He turns toward where he thinks the screen is and is grateful when Hunter nudges him slightly to indicate that he needs to move a little bit more. Hunter watches the clips of DiBiase injuring his friend's eyes, silently seething; next to him, Shawn gives the illusion that he too is watching.

"I assumed that everything would be fine in a week, then in two, definitely in three- but it isn't." Shawn pauses and Hunter steps towards him to silently remind him that he isn't alone in this. "Tomorrow I'm going to have to have eye surgery. After that…. I won't be coming back." Shawn hears the crowd cry out in protest and wishes that he could see them just one more time. "Even with glasses and surgery I'm going to be partially blind for the rest of my life. I- I will never be able to wrestle again. I want to say that I'm sorry that it ended this way and, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for sticking by me through the years."

Shawn sets down the mic and with Hunter's help climbs out of the ring. Hunter understands his intent and guides him over to the guardrail where Shawn shakes his fans' hands for the last time. They then work their way up one side of the ramp, then back down the other; Shawn doesn't want anyone to feel overlooked or cheated. "Sexy Boy" starts playing as they slowly retreat up the ramp but it is drowned out by the HBK chants. As they pause at the top for a moment, Hunter is almost glad that Shawn can't see those in the crowd who are crying.

"We don't have long before people come looking for you," Hunter says as soon as they're backstage. "I know you'd rather not deal with them now, so you go hide out in the rental. I'll get our bags and meet you out there soon." Shawn nods and the two separate.

He almost makes it to the car without being stopped when he hears someone say, "Shawn! Wait up!" He's tempted to act like he's going deaf too but he recognizes the voice and stops.

"Cody, Ted," he says calmly, turning towards the sound of their footsteps. "And no offense, but can we make this quick? I'm not in the mood to talk to too many people tonight."

The two members of Legacy glance at each other in shock. They hadn't really believed Shawn's story before, but it is hard to disprove it when he is looking a foot to their right and slightly too high. "You weren't lying, were you?" Ted asks quietly. "I blinded you. I ended your career."

Shawn can't bring himself to hate him, not when the kid sounds so heartbroken. "It's not your fault," he says with a sigh. "The eye rake wasn't that damaging. It's my fault for not getting treatment."

"But-"

"But nothing. I was stupid and I paid the price. The official story is that I'm having problems with cataracts and thought it best to not risk future damage by returning to the ring. Everyone in the back will think that the story I told out there was just for the feud." Shawn hopes he's looking at them as he continues. "I don't want this to impact your career, either of you. The two of you have good futures in this business."

"Any problems here?" Shawn jumps as Hunter asks the question, having been unable to see or hear his approach. Legacy shifts uncomfortably; Hunter knows the truth behind Shawn's injury and they don't know how he feels about them anymore.

"Be nice, Hunter. Everything's fine," Shawn tell shim. "You two." Cody and Ted, who had started to leave, turn back around. "I mean what I said. I expect to be hearing good things about you a couple of years from now."

Cody nods, before remembering that Shawn can't see that. "Right. Thanks, Shawn."

Shawn nods, then turns away. "C'mon, Hunter. Let's go."

XXXXX

Hunter hasn't talked to Shawn in almost a week. They had had a brief conversation after the surgery, then nothing. Hunter can't help but wonder how things are going, but is too afraid to call to find out. Raw has already started and Hunter is alone in the locker room getting ready for his match later when his phone rings. "Hello?"

"Michael Cole couldn't call a match if it lasted only ten seconds and his life depended on it," Shawn says by way of a greeting. "He killed the first match of the night and I'm not looking forward to his attempts with this one. Please, tell me what's going on."

Hunter doesn't stop to question the request. He turns on the monitor and starts narrating. "Bourne and Chavo have locked up in the center. Chavo forces Bourne into one of the corners, ref makes him let go. A hard right into Bourne's gut, elbow onto his back, and he's down on the mat…"

Shawn remains quiet for most of the match, apart from a few noncommittal noises in response to what Hunter says. It isn't until Hunter tells him that Bourne hit the shooting star press and won the match that he speaks. "Thank you," Shawn says quietly.

"Hey, no problem," Hunter replies. He takes a drink of water before cautiously (and he hopes casually) venturing a suggestion. "You know, my match isn't until the end of the card. I could tell you what's going on until then, if you want."

There is silence and Hunter is afraid that he's gone too far, that he's hurt Shawn's pride. Then Shawn says, almost too softly to hear, "I'd like that."

Their conversation never extends beyond a hip-toss here or a suplex there but, in many ways, nothing else needs to be said. The familiar words and phrases ground them in the ring as if they were there themselves and Shawn's eyesight, or lack thereof, is allowed to fade from their minds. The illusion is shattered when Hunter has to leave for his match and Shawn, who had finally starting adding his own comments to what Hunter was saying, withdraws once more. Hunter panics for a moment before passing the phone to DiBiase and, though he will never know what the two said, he knows that he made the right choice.

The phone calls become a weekly occurrence and Hunter learns to pick up on his friend's mood through the first few words that are said. However, he picks up little about Shawn's life post-wrestling or what his plans are and he is genuinely surprised to see Shawn at a pay-per-view a few months later. "What are you doing here?" he asks as he walked over to him.

"Got sick of your narrating and decided to find someone else to do the job," he jokes.

Hunter smacks him lightly on the back of the head and Shawn retaliates by whacking him in the shins with a white cane Hunter didn't see earlier. "Ow, hey! That's not fair!" he complains.

"Oh, and hitting a blind man is? You should've seen it coming," Shawn replies with a snicker. "And in case you didn't realize, I'm here to see you, you idiot."

Hunter smiles. "I know," he says. And he's glad Shawn's there because no matter what the future holds, for the moment they're just two friends who don't give a damn about what the world looks like beyond them.


End file.
